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Recombinant Oxytocin
Oxytocin Overview Oxytocin is a mammalian neurohypophysial hormone produced by the hypothalamus and secreted by the posterior pituitary gland (1). This hormone is commonly known as the “bonding hormone” (1). It is primarily used as a neuromodulator in the brain, which means that it affects multiple neurons by diffusing through large areas of the nervous system (1,4). There are new studies showing that this hormone can be associated with various behaviors such as orgasm, social recognition, pair bonding, anxiety and maternal behaviors (1). This hormone is also involved in the neuroanatomy of intimacy, categorically involving in sexual reproduction (1). Oxytocin is released in large amounts after the distension in the cervix and uterus during labor, servicing birth, maternal bonding and stimulation of the nipples for lactation (1). Oxytocin is known to help stimulate contractions during labor, so scientists have created a synthetic version of oxytocin to be intravenously injected to induce labor (5). Synthetic Oxytocin Synthetic oxytocin was created in 1954 by a man named DiVigneaud and his associates in the United States (2). In the following year another man named Boissonnas invented a method to manufacture synthetic oxytocin (2). There are two well-known synthetic oxytocin medications, or also known as generic oxytocin: Pitocin and Syntocinon (1). Both of these must be administered by injection or as a nasal spray, since it is destroyed in the gastrointestinal tract (1). Once the medications have been used the generic oxytocin is able to cross the blood-brain barrier where it induces psychoactive effects (1). These medications are mostly utilized to induce labor since oxytocin acts on smooth muscle of the uterus to stimulate contractions (5). It stimulates rhythmic contractions of the uterus which increases the frequency of existing contractions (5). It is synthesized by using the oxytocin peptide that is synthesized as an inactive precursor from the protein from the OXT gene. It is then hydrolyzed into smaller fragments with a variety of enzymes. The last hydrolysis of this peptide releases the active oxytocin nonapeptide by peptidylglycine alpha-amidating monnooxygenase (PAM) (1). Pitocin Pitocin is one of the synthetic forms of oxytocin that is available. It is a sterile, clear, colorless aqueous solution (3). This hormone was produced to avoid possible contamination with vasopressin (ADH), as well as other biological activity (3). Vasopressin is another nonapeptide whose sequence is similar to oxytocin (1). Vasopressin’s primary function is to retain water and to constrict blood vessels (6). Since vasopressin is chemically similar to the natural oxytocin, the synthetic form was produced to ensure that when this drug is given intravenously into a woman who is being induced into labor, that there is no crossover from similar nonapeptides. Side Effects of Pitocin (3) · -Anaphylactic reaction · -Postpartum hemorrhage · -Cardiac arrhythmia · -Fatal afibrinogenemia · -Nausea · -Vomiting · -Premature ventricular contractions · -Pelvic hematoma · -Subarachnoid hemorrhage · -Hypertensive episodes · -Rupture of the uterus Resources: 1. Oxytocin. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxytocin 2. Lester et al. Syntheitc Oxytocin. NCBI. pp 143-146. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1577988/pdf/califmed00098-0099.pdf 3. Seitchik J, Castillo. Pitocin. JHP Pharmaceuticals. 02/2009 http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/archives/fdaDrugInfo.cfm?archiveid=10055 4. Neuromodulation. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuromodulation 5. Oxytocin. Drugs.com. July 2013. http://www.drugs.com/pro/oxytocin.html 6. Vasopressin. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasopressin